What Do Children with Asthma and Lead Poisoning Have in Common?

Lead poisoning and asthma are common pediatric health problems and are both linked to the environment and substandard housing conditions. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), housing conditions can significantly affect public health. Childhood lead poisoning, injuries, respiratory diseases such as asthma, and quality of life issues have been linked to the more than six million substandard housing units nationwide. Nearly five million U.S. children have asthma, and more than half a million U.S. children are now believed to have lead poisoning.

Broaden the scope of single-issue public health programs — such as childhood lead poisoning prevention and asthma programs — to address multiple housing deficiencies that affect health and safety.

Build capacity and competency among environmental public health practitioners, public health nurses, housing specialists, managers, and others who work in the community to develop and manage comprehensive and effective Healthy Homes programs.

Promote, develop, and implement cross-disciplinary activities at the federal, state, tribal, territorial, and community levels to address the problem of unhealthy and unsafe homes through surveillance, research, and comprehensive prevention programs.

Facilitate the collection of local data and monitor progress toward reducing or eliminating housing deficiencies and hazards.

Expand collaborations with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), national associations and organizations, academia, community-based organizations, and others, including the American Public Health Association, National Environmental Health Association, and the World Health Organization.

Promote research to determine causal relations between substandard housing and adverse health effects.